Thermostatic valve



UNITED STATI-:S9

PATENT orifice.

SAMUEL LIIEIIEERT,r OF EAST CILElVIilIiAND, OHIO.

THERMOSTATIC VALVE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 3, 1921.

Application filed August 21, 1915. Serial No. 46,707.

To all whom t may concer/1Q.l

Be it known that I, SAMUEL LIPPERT, a.

radiator in a heat supplying and controlling system, and adapted to act automatically to permit the condensed water and air to escape.

into a pipe leading to a separating tank,l

where the condensed steam is returned as water to the boiler, and the foul air is carried away and discharged where it` will occasion no annoyance. i'

In this system a partial vacuum is created.

by means of a vacuum pump which draws the steam entirely through the radiators and insures its entering vthe very last heating tube of the system.

The action of the thermostat is two-foldl and produces vtwo advantageous effects, the i'stof which is to provide means permitting all foul air and water of condensation to escape from the radiators under the action of the vacuum pump, and t retain the steam therein after it has been drawn into the last section or tube of the radiators,/and second,

to provide means for permanently retaining the condition of vacuum. in 'the radiators, whereby a very .great saving 1n cost of fuel and labor is obtainedsince when .the fires are permittedto go down at night, the vac-v uum will remain and when again started inthe morning the steam will .instantly be drawn to the remotest heating element of the l system.

Many' air venting devices are on the market which are successful inl eliminating air from a steam system, which is necessary to permit heating the radiators, but discharge it into the room which is unsanitary and obnoxious. These valvesjdo not per- `mit the discharge 'of the water of condensa` tion or steam from the radiators, and when retained 1n thera'diator this causes water hammer and constant leaking through improperly packed valves. Again 'the accumulation of water in the radiators interferes with'the passage of the ysteam and with quick heating of the radiators.

My thermostatic valve assembly enables the circulating passages thereof to be readily and thoroughly cleaned .from molding sand as well as from sediment that may enter the same from radiators.

It also permits ofv drawing ofi'lthe cold water of condensation collected in the radiator which can be emptied from this source.

The invention further includes thermally operated meansfor automatically closing the passages of the device when affected by steam, and also mechanical means for'automatically closing the passage to the vacuum lines when the pump ceases to work `and thus prevent the loss of the vacuum in the radiator.

The invention further includes the combination and arrangement of parts and construction of the various details hereinafter described, shown in the accompanying drawings and specifically .pointedfout in the claims.V L v f ln the accompanying drawings Figure l is a vertical elevation of the device; Fig. 2

is a vertical central section thereof; Fig. 3

isa plan ofthe device shown in Fig. 2 showing the thermal element in dotted lines. In these views A represents'tlie shell or casing of the device, B represents lthe inlet opening thereto, C the outlet opening leadin therefrom. f

ntermediate of these openings is the vertical tubular passage D closed at the upperend by the screw threaded 'adjustablel plug E, below which is'formed the lateral passage E .communicating with the main chamber A. In' the base of thepassa'ge D is inserted a ball valve G which rests upon a seat G.

The invention vincludes the employment of a peculiarly sensitive and -positively'acting thermal element to control the passage of steam. In Fig. 2 J is this element,'which comprises a looped band composed of a multiple number of thin bands of metal having different ratios of expansion.

rl`his looped band isformed of bars of metal united together throughout their length by means of a fused metal interposed between them. The bars are then rolled out into thin bands and separated into lengths which are bent into flat loopsas shown in the drawings. The sides of the loops'may be of equal length', and one end is attached t0 a wall I-I of 'the-vertical passage I centrally positioned in the chamber F. The thermal element is provided at the other end with a self adjusting valve J which, when the element expands asy the hot steam enters the chamber,l closes the'outlet I of the passage I. This action is obtained by the unequal ratio of expansion of the outer and inner layers o'f metal composing the expanding element. The outer element expands the most and hence bends the tree end of the loop inward sol` that the valve closes upon its seat. n

The iiat band shape of the metal layers prevents distortion of the loop as it bends,- and its thinness permits it to be very sensitive and to act quickly. l Y

The metals `used are preferably a composition of bronze aluminum and gold in the outside layer, having the higher ratio 4of expansion 'and a composition of nickel in the inner layer having the lower ratio of expansion.

temperatures are sepa-rated so as to remove the valve J from its seat. on the outlet of p the passage I, but when expanded the valve will close the opening leading to the pasv sagehI,

is device forms a feature in the vacuum system and the closing of thel central passage I when the radiator is filled with steam prevents the steam from passing the thermostat and destroying the vacuum created by the pump in the system. 4

It is further of great importance to automatically maintain' substantially' constant the partial' vacuum created in each radiator, and after the radiator has cooled and the pump or other vacuum creating` agency hasy ceasedto operate, since it would otherwise be necessary to operate said vacuum creat- .invasie ing agency every time the radiator becomes cool.

. To provide for lthis eHect a ball valve G preferably operated by gravity, is seated in the vertical branch of the inlet passage B in an air tig-ht seat G. This valve closes automatically when the radiator commences to cool, and forms a seal, preventing `the return of air or vapor therethrough and thus retaining in the system thevacuum caused Aby the condensation of the steam.

Consequently, the pump or other vacuum creating agency can cease to operate and the valve will hold the partial vacuum in the system between the thermostat and boiler. Accumulation of molding sand and other material in the chamberis prevented by the position of the outlet orifice I', since' all floating refuse and water of condensation will flow through this openin and prevent interference with the action of the thermostat valve.

Having described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters i Patent is:

from beneath" said closure, an upwardly extending inlet connection arranged externally of said casing and communicating therewith through a port located above the i first-mentioned port, and a gravity closin valve in said connection below the secon port:

2. A valve assembly for the purpose specitied comprising 4a casing, a bottom closure therefor forming a chamber therewith and having an outlet passageway, a thermostat within saidl casing, a valve carried by said thermostat and adapted to close said passageway, an outlet connection leading from be neath said closure, an upwardly extending inlet connection arranged externallyof said chamber vand communicating therewith through a port located above saidv valve, and a gravity closing valve in .Said connection below said port.

8. A valve assembly for the urpose specilied comprising a'casing having a bottom closure forming a chamber therewith and provided with an' outlet passageway, a thermostat in said chamber, a` valve operative by the expansion of said thermostat to close said passageway, an upwardly extending inlet passageway arranged externally of said chamber and provided with a port vcommunicating with said chamber above said outlet passageway, said inlet passageway having a valve seat beneath said' port, and a ball valve in said inlet passageway above said seat.

In 'testimon whereof, I hereunto set my hand this 19 ay of August, 1915.

SAMUEL LIPPERT. 

